Arizonans who don't like the leading two choices for President this year won't get a chance to vote instead for the Green Party nominee.
The party does have a nominee— Jill Stein. But Arizona law says that by June 1st, officials for each party must name the 11 people who will cast the electoral votes for their candidate if he or she wins the state in November. The Democrats, Republicans and Libertarians met the deadline. The Green Party did not.
So absent a court order, Stein's name will not be on the ballot even though the Green Party is a recognized party under Arizona law. State party co-chair Angel Torres did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
National party spokesman Scott McClarty said he did not know why the Arizona organization failed to qualify for the presidential ballot.
"The national party does offer some kinds of help to the various state parties," McClarty said. "But it's really the responsibility of the state party themselves to launch ballot access efforts and get their party's ballot status and major-party status in their respective states as well as name their electors."
Bottom line, there is no chance for Arizonans to vote for the Green Party nominee, and no chance for Arizona's 11 electoral votes to go to Stein, even if voters here find her more desirable than Republican Donald Trump, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Libertarian Gary Johnson.